The present invention relates to a pipe bending machine comprising a bending template rotatable about a vertical axis, a pivot arm pivotable about the axis of the bending template and comprising a clamping jaw for clamping a pipe section on the bending template, and a slide rail comprising an abutment for the non-bent pipe section.
Known pipe bending machines have a rotatable bending template comprising a bending groove on its periphery, which receives part of the section of the pipe to be bent. The pipe is pressed into the pipe bending groove by means of a clamping jaw fastened to a pivot arm. Upon pivoting the pivot arm and simultaneously rotating the bending template about the axis of the bending template, the pipe is drawn around the bending template, which produces a pipe bend. In the case of pipes which are initially straight, it does not matter whether the pipe is bent to the right or to the left. Oftentimes, however, pipes have to be bent in opposite senses, i.e. with a rightward bend and subsequently with a leftward bend. These bends may be very close to each other. In such cases, the pipe cannot be turned after having made the first bend in order to make the second bend because such turning is prevented by the parts of the bending machine.